Pendulum toy



E. J. LIAS PENDULUM TOY May 28, 1968 .3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 21, 1966 i VIII/II/II/A VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR. foul/42a J [/45 4770IVEK9 y 1968 E. J. LIAS 3,384,966

- PENDULUM TOY Filed Jan. 21, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

INVENTOR.

BY t n United States Patent 0 3,384,966 PENDULUM TOY Edward J. Lias, 94 Rose Road, West Nyack, N.Y. 10294 Filed Jan. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 522,813 6 Claims. (Cl. 33-27) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOURE A pendulum toy having a pair of tandem supported pendulums carrying a pen arm in which a first pendulum is supported by a substantially frictionless joint, in which a second pendulum depends freely from the first pendulum and in which the pen arm is supported upon the first pendulum by a point-contact hinge.

This invention relates to a pendulum toy and has for its primary object to provide a mechanism for transcribing a variety of arcuate designs in accordance with movements of a pair of pendulums.

In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that a considerable variety of arcuate designs can be transcribed on a writing surface by use of this invention, including Lissajous curves and cycloids. By varying the lengths of the two pendulums, which are suspended one beneath the other, the respective swinging speeds thereof can be tuned to various ratios. Also, by use of this invention, vibration and resultant wiggles in the drawings have been entirely eliminated, prior pendulum toys being subject for the most part to this fault.

Christie Patent No. 3,143,807 recognized the vibration problem in the Worthington patent and tried to overcome it by use of a system of cords interconnecting the pendulums and the writing instrument. However, the Christie solution resulted in a cumbersome arrangement that is rather difficult for a child to operate.

Accordingly, another object of the invention is to overcome the above disadvantages and to provide an improved and simplified pendulum toy.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pendulum toy of more economical design, which is readily operable by children.

According to a feature of the present inventiOn advantages are obtained over the prior art by providing a universal type joint, with minimal frictional resistance, for supporting the principal pendulum, thereby enabling this pendulum to swing in many planes, that is, in a circle, ellipse or straight line, without rotating on its axis. In the Pearce and Christie patents the pendulums rest on knife edges and therefore swing in only one plane. While the Worthington patent shows in FIG. 4 a ball and socket joint for obtaining universal movement of the pendulum, such a joint introduces considerable friction and further, does not prevent the pendulum from turning on its axis.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a point-contact hinge for supporting the pen arm that transcribes the pendulum movements onto a writing surface. Such a hinge permits use of a rigid arm for carrying the pen without the troublesome factor of vibration, found in the Pearce and Worthington patents.

Still another feature of the invention resides in a tandem suspension of the two pendulums, wherein the second pendulum depends freely from the principal pendulum.

These and other features of the invention will be more fully described in the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front elevational view, partly in section, of one embodiment of a pendulum toy of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates. an enlarged perspective view of the 3,384,966 Patented May 28, 1968 ice universial joint used in supporting the principal pendulum of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates an enlarged perspective view of the hinge used in supporting the pen arm of the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a front elevational view, partly in section, of another embodiment of a pendulum toy of the invention, where the second pendulum is freely carried by the principal pendulum at the top thereof; and

FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 illustrate actual designs transcribed in ink by the pendulum toy of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown an improved pendulum toy 10 of the invention comprising a principal pendulum 12 and a secondary pendulum 14, the principal pendulum being freely carried by an improved universal joint 16, which in turn is mounted upon a stationary support 18 that, for example, could be an arm secured to a door post (not shown). As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper portion of the principal pendulum 12 extends through an opening 20 of the support 18.

The principal pendulum 12 may be of wood or of any light weight material and in one such toy it consisted of a bar 22 of wood having the dimensions A" by A" by 52 long. Adjacent the top of the bar 22 a pin 24 of circular cross-section and preferably of steel is shown having extensions 26, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter.

Adjacent the bottom of the principal pendulum 12 is shown a platform 28 suitable for supporting a weight 3-0 at each side of the bar 22, as viewed in FIG. 1. The platform 28 is mounted upon a pin or nail 32 and is provided with a centrally disposed square opening 34 for slidably and embracingly engaging the sides of the bar 22. Several spaced openings 36 are provided in the bar 22 for moving the platform from one elevational position to another, by merely inserting the pin 32 into the desired opening 36, whereby the speed of pendulum oscillation may be varied. As is well known, the pendulum length determines its speed of oscillation. Accordingly, as the platform 28 is moved upwardly from the lowest position shown, its speed will correspondingly increase. Thus it is evident that the platform 28 may be readily moved with its weights and that the pin 32 and the four side walls of the opening 34 provide a simple means for slidably supporting the platform on the pendulum bar 22.

Returning now to the universial joint 16 and particularly to FIG. 2, there is shown in detail an improved universal joint that comprises a pair of upstanding pins 38 having pointed ends 46 mounted opposite each other on the stationary support 18, an annulus or flat ring 42 with central opening 44 pivotally carried by the pointed ends 40, which in fact pierce the annulus and thus prevent lateral movement thereof, and the horizontally disposed round pin extensions 26 which rest on the ring 42 and which are disposed at right angles or ninety degrees with respect to the pointed ends 40 so as to insure proper balance of the principal pendulum 12. It is thus seen that the bar 22 extends upwardly through the aligned support opening 26 and ring opening 44 with its extensions 26 resting tangentially on the ring 42, so that the frictional contact bet-ween the extensions 26 and upper surface of ring 42 is minimal as the extensions 26 roll on the ring d2. Similarly the frictional contact between the points 40 and the under surface of the ring 42 is minimal. Thus movement of the principal pendulum is subjected to very little frictional resistance, whereby free pendulum movement is readily attained in any straight line plane, or in any desired arcuate oscillation.

To the bottom of the principal pendulum bar 22, as seen in FIG. 1, is secured an open screw eye 46 from which is suspended a flexible member, such as a link chain u 48, and adjacent a lower end of the chain is carried a second platform 50 supporting a weight 52 at each side thereof and having a centrally positioned, upstanding member 54 with an open screw eye 56 at its upper end, the screw eye 56 being adapted to be inserted into a desired link of the chain 4-8.

It might be mentioned at this point that in the hereinbefore mentioned toy the weights 3G and 52 carried by the platforms 28 and 5 3, respectively, were ordinary bricks. Of course, other suitable material may be used for the weights.

Intermediate the platform 23 and lower end of the principal pendulum 22, see FIGS. 1 and 3, there is shown connected to the bar 22 a pivotal transcribing mechanism 58 for recording resultant movement of both pendulums 12 and 14. The transcribing mechanism 52 includes a cross-bar 6d rigidly secured at its midpoint, as by a nail 62 to the principal pendulum bar 22, a second cross-bar :14 parallel with and pivotally carried by the cross-bar 60, as by a pair of spaced pointed pins 66 rigidly secured in and extending downwardly from the underside of the second cross-bar 64, so that the points of the pointed pins 66 slightly penetrate and rest on the upper surface of the cross-bar 60, and a pen arm 68 rigidly secured at right angles to the upper surface of the second cross-arm 64, as by a pair of nails or wood screws 70. The pen arm 68 has fastened adjacent its right end, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3, a writing instrument, such as a pen 72, and at its left end a slidable counterweight 74 for the pen 72. For

ease in rapidly mounting and removing the pen "72, the

right end of the pen arm 68 is provided with a notch 75 into which the pen '72 is fitted and a pin 76 projecting through both top and bottom surfaces of the pen arm 68 is used for holding respective ends of a rubber band 78 wound around the pen 72. Also, means for sliding the counterweight include a slot 79 formed adjacent the left end of the pen arm 68 with a screw 80 passing through the slot 79 and fastened to the counterweight, which consists of a wooden block of just enough weight to nearly balance the pen 72, so that the pen 72 will write with minimal friction upon a writing surface, such as paper 82, in turn placed upon a table 84 or any suitable surface.

In operation, for the weights 30 four bricks were placed on the principal pendulum platform 28, which was secured in the lowermost position shown in FIG. 1, and two bricks were used for the weights 52 mounted on the platform 50 of the secondary pendulum, the platform 50 being secured to the chain 48 at a link whereby the speed ratio of principal pendulum to secondary pendulum was 2/1. In other words, for a speed ratio of 2/ 1 the length of the principal pendulum 12 is four times that of the secondary pendulum 14. Thus, the principal pendulum 12 will swing twice as fast as the secondary pendulum 14.

Accordingly and beginning with a motionless state and with pen 72 ready to record the pendulum movements on paper 82, the main pendulum bar 22 is initially swung by hand in a triangular motion, which is characteristic of a 2/1 ratio, as seen in FIG. 5. The secondary pendulum is not touched, since it follows movement of the main pendulum. When the pen 72 seems to be drawing over the desired area of the paper 82, the pendulum bar 22 is released and allowed to swing freely. Assuming that a scratch paper 82 was superposed over the paper 82 on which the design is to be recorded, the scratch paper is gently removed and the resultant gyrations of the pendulums l2 and 14 recorded by pen 72 on the clean paper 82.

The mechanism of this invention is capable of recording both Lissajous figures and cyeloids. By varying the weights or lengths of the pendulums the following speed ratios may be obtained: 2/1, 9/4, 7/3, 5/2, 8/3, 3/1, 10/3, 7/2, 4/1 and 9/2.

In FIG. 4 there is shown another embodiment of the invention wherein a secondary pendulum 86 is carried at the top of a principal pendulum $8 and a slidable weight 9G is instead carried directly on a pendulum bar 92. The secondary pendulum 86 is shown as an inverted V shaped element with equal downwardly extending arms 94 having at their lower ends slidable weights 96 adjustably mounted, as is quite evident, and being joined at their upper ends by a cross member 98, which is carried at its center by a pointed pin 1% projecting from the top of the principal pendulum bar 92. The operation of this embodiment is 'milar to that of the first embodiment.

The designs shown in F168. 5, 6, 7 and 8 were recorded by the embodiment of FIG. 1 of the invention. These are typical only, as a large variety of designs may be formed by the mechanism of the invention.

In FIG. 5 the design illustrates a speed ratio of 2/ 1, wherein the arcuate oscillations of the two pendulums were antagonistic, that is, the two pendulums were oscillating in opposite directions; while in FIG. 6 the design also illustrates a speed ratio of 2/1, wherein the arcuate oscillations of the two pendulums were concurrent, that is, the two pendulums were oscillating in the same direction.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 the designs illustrate speed ratios of 3/2, wherein the arcuate oscillations of the two pendulums in FIG. 7 were concurrent and those in FIG. 8 were antagonistic.

While the features of this invention have been disclosed with reference to a specific embodiment only, it is, of course, understood that various modifications may be made in the details of construction and that the features thereof may be applied to many other and widely varied fields without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanism comprising, in combination, a support, a first pendulum pivotally carried by said support, a second pendulum pivotally carried by said first pendulum, a marking instrument pivotally carried by said first pendulum for transcribing movements of said first pendulum onto a marking surface, a hinge interconnecting said first pendulum and said marking instrument, said hinge comprising a first cross-bar rigidly secured to said first pendulum, a second crossbar, a pair of spaced pins rigidly secured to said second cross-bar and having pointed ends resting on a top surface of said first crossbar, and a pen arm rigidly secured to and at right angles to said second cross-bar.

2. A mechanism in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pen arm has a notch at one of its ends into which the marking instrument is placed, and means including a resilient element for removably holding said marking instrument in said notch.

3. A mechanism in accordance with claim 2, wherein said pen arm has a slot adjacent its other end, and means including a weight slidably movable in said slot for balancin g said marking instrument.

4. A mechanism comprising, in combination, a support, a first pendulum pivotally carried by said support, said first pendulum comprising a rod and a Weighted platform carried by said rod, a second pendulum pivotally carried by said first pendulum, said second pendulum comprising a flexible element and a weighted platform carried by said flexible element, said flexible element being constituted by a chain, hook means on the pendulum rod for attaching said chain thereto, and a marking instrument pivotally carried by said first pendulum for transcribing movements of said first pendulum onto a marking surface.

5. A mechanism in accordance with claim 4, wherein said second pendulum comprises an inverted V shaped element having downwardly extending arms, a slidable weight on each of said arms, and a pointed element projecting from an upper end of said pendulum rod for pivotally carrying said V shaped element.

6. A mechanism comprising, in combination, a support, a first pendulum pivotally carried by said support, said first pendulum comprising a rod and a weighted platform carried by said rod, a universal type joint interconnecting 5 6 said first pendulum and said support, said universal type References Cited joint comprising a pair of spaced upstanding pointed pins UNITED STATES PATENTS carried upon said support, a flat ring mounted upon said 898 599 9/1908 Pearce 33--27 pointed pins, and a horlzontal pin rotatable on an upper surface of said ring, said horizontal pin being rigidly 5 1309951 8/1932 Worthmgton 33*27 secured to said pendulum rod, whereby said pendulum OTHER REFERENCES rod is adapted to freely oscillate upon movement imparted the Solutions of the Differential Equations of thereto, a second pendulum pivotally carried by said first Motion of a Double Pendulum, by William E Cedepberg pendulum, and a marking instrument pivotally carried by said first pendulum for transcribing movements of said 10 HARRY N, HAROIAN, Primary Examiner. first pendulum onto a marking surface. 

